Shundo David Haye – Zen Priest

‘Home leavers should not avoid hardship. Seeking freedom from birth and death, rest your mind, stop worrying, and cut off dependence on relations. That’s why you are called home leavers. How can you receive luxurious offerings and be immersed in ordinary life? You should cast off this, that, and
everything in between. Regard whatever you see and hear as a flower planted on a rock. When you encounter fame and gain, regard them as a dust mote in your eye. It is not that fame and gain haven’t been experienced or known from beginningless time; rather they are like the head that cannot help seeing the tail. Why should you struggle and long for them? If you don’t stop longing now, when will you? Thus, the ancient sages teach you to let go right at this very moment. If you do so, what will remain? If you attain calmness of mind, buddha ancestors will be like something extra and all the things in the world will be inevitably flameless and plain. Only then can you merge with the place of suchness.’ (quoted in Shobogenzo Gyoji).

It was interesting to come across this passage in our Dogen study group, as the flavour is very reminiscent of the Song of Awakening.